According to Automobile Magazine, in 2013, BMW will add two 1-series variants with a choice of front- or all-wheel drive. BMW will link its FWD/AWD 1-series variants to the third-edition MINI that is set to debut simultaneously with the 1-series variants. Word also is that a fastback BMW will share its vehicle structure with the next Mini Clubman. BMW is thus thinking of a modular matrix for interchangable parts between the vehicles.

Not just any electric vehicle but a Radical SR8 converted to battery electric power by 10 engineering students at Imperial College London. They plan to spend three months driving it from Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, to Tierra Del Fuego.

autoblog reports that response to the open-sided MINI Beachcomber concept shown at last year's Detroit and Geneva auto shows was so great that MINI is now discussing production of the vehicle. The article includes videos of Dr. Wolfgang Armbrecht, Senior Vice President of Brand Management for MINI, and Gert Hildebrand, Head of MINI Design, discussing the Beachcomber concept at the Detroit Auto Show.

Matt Davis writes for Winding Road about his test drive of the prototype 2011 Countryman Cooper S at the Wachauring test track outside of Vienna, Austria. Some of his comments are observations:

". . . the new, weightier Mini family member comports itself nicely, feeling in the hands and seat of the pants exactly as we imagined it might be at first sight."

"The ALL4 system is a nice 243-pound, all-season add-on and is honestly for nothing more rough than relatively groomed gravel estate paths or well-plowed ski area access roads."

"Does it drive like a go-kart? No. But it gets as close as possible in anything resembling this style of taller, and more spacious, and heavier vehicle. We had a ball at the little test circuit, pulling off controlled slide after controlled slide without ever losing our competitive smile or feeling that pushing the Countryman like this was inappropriate. For these street-going credentials, our Mini Countryman Cooper S ALL4 is the funnest SUVXover yet built for sale by anyone."

"Overall dynamics are great and the steering does it’s best to stay true to what we’ve gotten used to from our Minis. The braking action is right on the button, too, aided certainly by the almost non-existent front and rear overhangs."

"Space for passengers is really fine, including headroom for all."

"Look for the Mini Countryman Cooper S with front-wheel drive to start at around $28,500 and the ALL4 version to begin bankrolling at around $31,000. "

NorCal MINIs' Hearst Castle Overnight is June 12-13, 2010. We are staying at the San Simeon Pines Seaside Resort, a quaint older resort on Cambria's Moonstone Beach with fireplaces, a heated pool, a private beach and a very small par 3 golf course (bring a 7, 9, wedge and putter. That's all the clubs you will need to play), at the special rate of $120/night, not including tax (with tax $133.20). NO PETS PERMITTED.

YOU MAY STILL BE ABLE TO BOOK A ROOM AT THE RESORT BY CALLING 866-927-4648 BUT THERE ARE NO GUARANTEES. Other local accommodations may also be available.

For Sunday, June 13, 2010, we have reserved for a group of 30 the 10:30 a.m. Hearst Castle Tour (this requires us to be there by 10:10 a.m.) TICKETS MUST BE PURCHASED NO LATER THAN MAY 28, 2010.

The Tour starts with a 40 minute film and is followed by a 55 minute walking tour that starts at 11:10 a.m., covers approximately 2/3 miles and a total of 170 stairsteps, and is complete at 1:05 p.m. (For those with accessibility issues, an accessibly designed tour will start at after the movie at 11:20 a.m. and complete at about 1:20 p.m. If you will need to book the accessibility tour make sure you tell us when you pay for your reservation.) We were able to get discounted group prices for the tour:

Use this Paypal Button to purchase your tickets.

Hearst Castle Tour Tickets

This event is open to the entire MINI community. DON'T MISS OUT! ACT TODAY!

MotoringFile got behind the scenes at BMW's new Environmental Test Center and was able to determine, among other things, that the 2011 R55 tailights are LED and that the 2011 Cooper S and JCW have brake ducts.

BimmerFile discusses the substantial engine and drivetrain revisions on the 2011 MINI models; explains how the ALL4 - MINI's all wheel drive system for the Countryman - works; and then drives the Countryman prototype. It exclaims the Countryman to be "the best handling crossover currently on sale." On the exterior BimmerFile liked the design of the "shark nose."

It’s an aggressive and masculine design that gives the car a unique character while mapping back to the historical MINI form language. Yet it also works on a functional level helping with airflow and pedestrian impact standards.

MINI has created the best handling and characterful small crossover in the world. While doing that they have pushed the MINI brand into a new category while maintain the character of what we’ve all come to love. However, that said, pricing will still play a significant role in the success of the R60 Countryman and in the US market no final pricing decisions have been made at this time. If the base price of the Countryman Cooper comes in at under $25,000 as we expect then it’ll be a full-on success. With that price it’ll compete with the more mundane crossover options while delivering in expectational performance, style and fuel economy all with a brand that still (even after introducing a crossover) means something. If the Coutryman does all those things then MINI has succeeded in pushing MINI (with brand attribute surprisingly intact) into a new, more lucrative and much larger market.

AAA projects that nearly 4 million Californians plan on traveling 50 miles or more this Memorial Day holiday weekend (3.2 million Californian Memorial Day travelers are expected to drive to reach their holiday destinations.) This represents an overall increase of 7.8 percent from last year. Nationally, 32 million are projected to travel 50 miles or more.

In Chile a man hit a dog on the highway. Thinking the dog was dead and that the vehicle would need front end repairs the driver continued on to a repair shop for an inspection and evaluation. Miraculously, the dog was found wedged inside the bumper under the vehicle and was extracted and found to have only broken a leg. Check out the video of the extraction -

TrueCar.com conducted a study that found the MINI Cooper to be one of the top ten choices of buyers between 18 and 34 years old with fifteen percent of that demographic purchasing MINIs. However, the average age of a MINI owner was found to be 48!

A Michigan court has reinstated a lawsuit against a manufacturer of a muffler repair kit that didn't warn in the instructions not to run the vehicle in a closed garage. The suit arises from carbon monoxide asphyxiation when the decedent ran the engine on his vehicle to cure the patch on the muffler but failed to open the garage door. Believe it or not the Court found that reasonable minds could differ on the obviousness of the danger from running a car indoors and, therefore, determined that the products liability suit against the manufacturer could proceed to trial.

Anybody here not know that running a fuel engine in a closed space is dangerous?

Henny Hemmes for The Auto Channel takes a first drive in, and reviews, the MINI Countryman prototype on a track in Austria. MINI's chief designer Gert Hildebrand tells Hemmes the Countryman is " . . . a mini car with a maxi interior. That is what it is about: its big space." Hildebrand also defends the lavish use of chrome on the MINI. "Chrome belongs to a MINI” said Hildebrand. “It is so British. We tried a MINI without any chrome and it did not look right."

During the test drive Hemmes found,

Gone is the kart like feel of the Mini One. The Countryman has a more grown up character. Steering is sensitive, but not as sensitive as of other models. Handling is agile, but friendly and leaves a safe impression on the soaked track. Body roll is minimal, an achievement of the development team, with a car that is over 6 inches higher.

Hemmes liked the car but pronounced the following verdict - "The extreme fun factor of the original new Mini is gone, but you get more practicality in return."

A survey conducted by headset and in car speakerphone company Jabra found 72% of respondents regularly eat behind the wheel; 28% of drivers surveyed have sent text messages; and 15% reported they have performed sex or other sexual acts while driving; 12% admitted to having written or read e-mails while driving and 10%reported reading newspapers or magazines while driving.

Three out of every twenty drivers (15%) performs sex or other sexual acts while driving!?! Now, that is a good reason to watch out for other drivers. Of course, if you want to do it yourself there are always the illustrated instructions at the Blacklight Arrow blog showing "How To Have Sex In A MINI."

Beginning July 1 Michelin will offer its new MICHELIN® PRIMACY™ MXM4® all season tires with a 55,000 mile warranty in 13 sizes with rim diameters ranging from 16- to 19-inches. The tires are made with the oil from specific types of sunflowers that Michelin claims increases traction at low temperatures for braking and handling in wet conditions and has better overall performance in the snow. The proof is in the testing. The tires stopped 23 feet sooner than a set of Continental ContiProContact tires. The new Michelins are expected to replace the Michelin Pilot® MXM4® tires that were oem on many Mercedes, Infinitis and Buicks. On a wet test track the Continentals caused the vehicle to fishtail - the new Michelin's stick like glue. Here, watch the test -

The Robin Hood Rally is the first real-world road race to benefit the town of Berlin, New Hampshire. Fifty-one drivers and their vehicles raced on a closed public-road course that included both a tight "infield course" type circuit on the grounds of a former paper mill facility and a long uphill road leading to a landfill area. Each contestant is raced to win one of three grand prizes: a Ferrari, a Porsche, or a Corvette. All spectator gate receipts were remitted to the city, and other donations have also been made to benefit various causes in Berlin. This was the Robin Hood Rally's only stop in New Hampshire. Two Seats Or Less participated and has an extensive blog about the Rally with a link to the huge day by day photo gallery of the Rally posted at WMUR New Hampshire 9.

A national seat belt safety campaign has been initiated. Although 95.3% of all California drivers comply with the "buckle up" law (well above the national average) California will increase enforcement of the law. Fines have increased so the minimum fine is $142. In addition, the cost of failing to properly buckle up any child under the age of 16 has increased to at least $445 per child for a first offense and $1005 or more on a second offense. The campaign will run May 24 - June 6, 2010.

This Sunday, May 23, 2010, NorCal MINIs will attend the Oakland Athletics v. San Francisco Giants game at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. We will arrive at 10:00 a.m. Our friends at MINI of Concord have reserved for our exclusive use Parking Lot tailgate area B4. (The area is in the northeast corner of the south parking lot. Enter from Hegenberger Road and park in Section A7.) MINI of Concord will display a few MINIs and provide hot dogs and hamburgers for lunch. We will be there cooking when the gates open. Bring a side dish to share.

All NorCal MINIs Members are invited to participate! Your NorCal MINIs' Membership Card is your and your Guests' Lunch Ticket.

The game starts at 1:05 p.m. Group Tickets are now Sold Out, however, four tickets have become available. If you are interested email us at info@norcalminis.com. First Come, First Served.

NorCal MINIs' Hearst Castle Overnight

NorCal MINIs' Hearst Castle Overnight is June 12-13, 2010. We are staying at the San Simeon Pines Seaside Resort, a quaint older resort on Cambria's Moonstone Beach with fireplaces, a heated pool, a private beach and a very small par 3 golf course (bring a 7, 9, wedge and putter. That's all the clubs you will need to play), at the special rate of $120/night, not including tax (with tax $133.20). NO PETS PERMITTED.

YOU MUST HAVE BOOKED YOUR ROOM DIRECTLY WITH THE RESORT BY CALLING 866-927-4648 AND REFERRING TO RESERVATION NO. B0329300N BEFORE MAY 11, 2010. YOU MAY STILL BE ABLE TO BOOK A ROOM BUT THERE ARE NO GUARANTEES. Other local accommodations may also be available.

For Sunday, June 13, 2010, we have reserved for a group of 30 the 10:30 a.m. Hearst Castle Tour (this requires us to be there by 10:10 a.m.) The Tour starts with a 40 minute film and is followed by a 55 minute walking tour that starts at 11:10 a.m., covers approximately 2/3 miles and a total of 170 stairsteps, and is complete at 1:05 p.m. (For those with accessibility issues, an accessibly designed tour will start at after the movie at 11:20 a.m. and complete at about 1:20 p.m. If you will need to book the accessibility tour make sure you tell us when you pay for your reservation.) We were able to get discounted group prices for the tour:

Use may this Paypal Button to purchase your tickets.

Hearst Castle Tour Tickets

THE TOUR TICKET PURCHASE DATE HAS BEEN EXTENDED TO MAY 28, 2010. Please do not miss this deadline. This event is open to the entire MINI community.

NorCal MINIs' Summer Picnic

Mark your calendar for July 24, 2010! NorCal MINIs will hold its annual picnic in the Brannan Island State Recreation Area . This year we are going to kick it up a notch. More information will be forthcoming real soon!!!

MINI USA, in cooperation with MINI Financial Services, is offering leases on the 2010 MINI Hardtop and Clubman for $249 per month, special lease deals on other models and special financing rates from 0.9% to 4.9%, depending on model, through June 30, 2010, as part of its "Motoring Madness Event." Complete details are available in this BMW Group Press Release.

LANGUAGE CAUTION: This music video of Travie McCoy's upcoming release song "Billionaire" contains foul language in the lyrics that may be offensive to some and not suitable for minors. But, damn, it is catchy and contains a really nice MCS Convertible.

Michael Austin at Car and Driver calls it the "sized for America MINI." By turning off the 4WD he was able to drift the Countryman like a hatchback but with slower steering and more body roll. He says the ride is more "like your average American: a little bit soft but very affable." Austin feels the Countryman is generally underpowered and smaller than its nearest competition - "the Subaru Forester, Nissan Rogue, Toyota RAV4, and Volkswagen Tiguan."

In Japan, according to PSFK, 95 percent of the 1,780 municipalities in the country have created original manhole covers to portray their individualized cultures or trades. Tokyo photographer and artist Remo Camerota has a forthcoming art book on the manhole covers called "Drainspotting."

AutoWeek calls it "an AW Flash Drive." It found it easier to enter than the hatchback given the Countryman's larger doors; you sit 2.8 inches higher than you do in the hatchback; it doesn't feel "as nimble or quite as edgy as the MINI Cooper S;" and, at least in prototype, suffers from "poor shift quality" ("notchy"). AutoWeek believes it is "an interesting alternative to Europe's Traditional hatchbacks."

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) yesterday, May 20, is statistically the most dangerous day of the year for teenage drivers. Teen driver deaths have been 63% higher on May 20th than on any other day of the year for the past five years. Consumer Reports provides a chart of the top ten most dangerous driving days for teens. Parents, mark your calendars.

Ms. Powell, 72, was arrested and spent 12 hours in jail in South Carolina for doing a 102 mph in a 45 mph zone. When the police caught up with her she explained that she was late for a hair appointment. Here's the purported transcript:

Deputy: “Ma’am?”
Driver: “Yes, sir.”
Deputy: “Are you OK?”
Driver: I’m on my way to get my hair cut and I went the wrong direction and now I’m running late.”
Deputy: “Ma’am, you know you just about caused an accident?”
Driver: “Well, I just about killed myself.”
Deputy: “Do you know how fast you was going?”
Driver: “Yes, I do.”
Deputy: “How fast?”
Driver: “100 miles an hour.”
Deputy: “Huh?”
Driver: “100 miles an hour.”
Deputy: “Do you think that’s safe?”
Driver: “No.”

MINI has released the following details about the choices of engines that will be available for the Countryman. At least in Europe there will be five available engines: two diesels and three gasoline ones. All engines are built to meet the Euro 5 and the US emissions regulations. The diesels will be the MINI One D Countryman, with 90 HP, and the MINI Cooper D Countryman, with 112 HP. The MINI One gasoline unit has 98 HP, the Cooper 122 HP and the Cooper S 184. A future performance JCW version of the Countryman is also expected.

MotoringFile had the opportunity to take the Countryman Cooper S prototype for a spin. They love the new engine and drivetrain; feel it has 85% of the MINI R56 hatchback's performance, and conclude that "MINI has created the best handling and characterful small crossover in the world."

This year MINI Meet West, hosted by the Vancouver MINI and Mini clubs, takes place in Penticton, British Columbia June 28 through July 1, 2010. Events include a car show, awards banquet, rally, autocross, funkhana and vendor's village. Norm Nelson of Redwood Empire MINI Enthusiasts has assembled a caravan going up the coast to the event and would love to have more MINIs and Minis join them as they cruise to B.C. The route, hotels, ferries, and stops are already planned. If you want to hook up with the caravan contact Norm through Facebook or email Redwood MINI Enthusiasts at support@redwoodempiremini.com.

BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce are launching a total of 17 new and updated models between October 2009 and December 2010.

* * *

Good news for all MINI fans: The MINI family continues to grow.

September will mark the launch of the MINI Countryman. It is our offering for those customers who are looking for a bit more MINI. It is all about the number four here:

The Countryman is the first MINI with four-wheel drive,

four doors,

four individual seats, and

about four meters in length.

Another two new models will follow suit: the MINI Coupe and the MINI Roadster.

In the first four months of this year, MINI sales have soared again and are up 10 percent compared with the prior-year period. MINI is and will remain the original. MINI has an easily recognizable face, a unique history and well over 1.5 million fans worldwide. With MINI, we have successfully established premium in the small car segment. And MINI is self-confident enough to handle competition.

* * *

Now, the time is ripe for the broad-based application of this technology. We have taken the initiative. Our global field test with the MINI E is a great success. Today, there exists an international MINI E community.

Our customer Tom Moloughney from New Jersey has already covered more than 25,000 miles or 40,000 kilometers with his MINI E. And he writes about it in his blog.

Our customer Hudson Ledwon says about his experiences with the MINI E:

“I have driven about 5,000 kilometers in Berlin over the course of a good six months. I am fascinated by new technologies. And as I like to share good things with others, I also lend my MINI E to my friends. The fastest feedback came from a friend who texted me: So great! I want one too.”

In our latest annual report, we introduce some test drivers.

We asked all MINI E drivers about their experiences with e-mobility in everyday use:

On its suitability: More than 90 percent of all regular mobility requirements were met by the MINI E.

On its range: Drivers felt either slightly or not at all limited by its range.

On charging it: Most drivers recharged the battery at home or at work – every two or three days on average.

And last but not least, the test drivers agreed that they wanted to use environmentally friendly electric power.

So, what conclusions can we draw from their response?

Many enthusiastic customers for e-mobility already exist today.

We will not have to wait until conditions are ideal for e-mobility, with a network of electric fillings stations in place, etc. We can implement e-mobility today.

E-mobility has a future. However, we need global standards. And we need partners such as electricity suppliers and politics.

We are taking action. This year we are launching our MINI E fleet in France and China. Next year, the BMW brand will also provide customers with an electric car test fleet. These cars will be built at our Leipzig plant.

* * *

. . . Growth in the small car segment: In the future, we will record growth both in the large and small vehicle classes. The small car segment in particular is expected to improve. This represents a global trend. Buyers in this segment also demand premium products. Our success with MINI is proof of that. Another advantage of this segment is that it allows us to turn young customers into fans of our brands, people who will continue to buy our cars throughout their lives. All the more reason for us to offer new models in the small car segment in the future – at MINI and at BMW.

David Woollcott was appointted as the new National Manager for MINI Australia commencing July 1, 2010. Woollcott began his career with the BMW Group in 1999 as a Mechanical Engineering student in Munich, moving to Melbourne in 2004 to join BMW Melbourne in Special Vehicles and Sales.Then, he worked as Product Trainer for BMW Group Australia and, most recently. as Sales & Marketing Manager for BMW Melbourne.

autoblog has posted a slew of photos of the MINI Countryman prototype being put through its road manners paces. MINI also released additional details about the final vehicle. Here's the full MINI Media Release:

NORCAL MINIS CALENDAR & OTHER EVENTS

WELCOME

NORCAL MINIS is a California federally exempt 501 (c)(7) not for profit corporation and social club for promotion of the MINI brand and lifestyle. We are Northern California's premier MINI club. Our members are MINI Cooper enthusiasts. Our club directors organize and plan group activities for the club. We have fundraisers for charitable causes meaningful to our members while having fun in our Minis. Annual dues are used for the support of Club operations such as reservations, administrative supplies or charity. Club officers and directors are volunteers who dedicate their time, knowledge and skills to making a difference in the MINI community. Email us anytime with your comments or questions.

All Members receive:
** Official Membership card. This personalized card may be used at a club run or participating vendor ** Signature orange lanyard & name tag ** NORCAL MINIS stickers & car decal (white only) ** Access to exclusive vendor/supplier network ** Access to private NORCAL MINIS Google Group **

JOIN OUR MINI COMMUNITYJOIN IN THE FUN

(MINI not required to be a member.)

PAY ANNUAL DUES using Paypal Button below.

JOIN THE CLUB

BECOME AN OFFICIAL NORCAL MINIS MEMBER!

--- MEMBERSHIP DUES ---

NORCAL MINIS is open to all and ownership of any MINI model car is encouraged but not required. Payment of annual dues of $25.00 is a prerequisite to membership. Membership begins on date dues are received by the club Treasurer and expire on December 31st of the same year. Payment can be made by cash, check or PayPal (preferred). Members must be at least 18 years of age with legal rights to sign any event disclaimers. One spouse or significant other, per paid membership is considered a member with all the rights and privileges of Club membership. An email and Facebook account is needed to stay in contact with our club.

All NorCal MINIS Members get full access to: Members Only NORCAL MINIS' Google Group; Club Vendor discounts; direct email event invitations to NORCAL MINIS runs, and vote at the Annual Member Meeting.